


Claude and Sylvain's tea time confessions

by Charle_i5



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, claudevain - Fandom
Genre: M/M, claudevain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:27:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23302408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charle_i5/pseuds/Charle_i5
Summary: After noticing Sylvain sneak into the monastery's library late at night, Claude decides to invite him to a cup of tea to get some answers out of him and satisfy his curiosity.The conversation takes an unexpected turn and both of them are up for confession time.
Relationships: Claudevain - Relationship, Sylvain Jose Gautier & Claude von Riegan, Sylvain Jose Gautier/Claude von Riegan, Sylvain x Claude, claude x Sylvain
Kudos: 36





	Claude and Sylvain's tea time confessions

"Well look who finally got here! I know you have a lot of contenders to take care of, Sylvain, but you could have told them you were already taken faster, I've been waiting here for twenty minutes!"

Sylvain turned his head and finally noticed Claude waving at him from the assortment of tables placed in the center of the garden. He made his way through the cluttered chairs and tables of students chatting and took a seat, facing the young heir who was glancing at him with a smirk. It was a warm summer evening in the monastery and one could say that Sylvain was feeling a bit nervous at the moment.

"Already taken? And when did that happen, might I ask?"

"Why, look at you prince charming, taking the time to have a cup of tea with me when you're already so busy with about every girl of Garreg Mach, you must be in love with me right?"

Claude let out one of his charming chuckles, which always seem to find their way into Sylvain's heart, striking him right where it hurts. This time was no exception, but at least he managed to not make it known on his face. Instead, he just turned vehemently red.

"Very funny Claude, but I'm guessing you didn't ask me to come here just to make fun of me, so what did you want? Do you think I have some kind of information that you're missing to complete one of your great schemes? Because I'm afraid I might disappoint your majesty."

"Well... I'm not looking for a scheme this time, but I do think you have information on something just as intriguing, if not more."

Claude grabbed the tea kettle and poured Sylvain a cup, all while considering him prolongedly

Sylvain, who was purposely turning his attention away from him and toward the sweets carefully place on his left felt as though his gaze was burning a hole right through him. He was so focused on keeping his usual composure that he didn't answer anything.

"See," continued the young heir " I saw you sneaking into the library last night, and I'm not here to judge but... it was about two am and I don't know about you but I don't usually go for the "Crests and history" section at this time of night, especially looking this suspicious."

"What, are you saying there are times unfitted to learning new things? Wow, I thought you were a man of culture Claude, how disappointing."

" If I know you well, I'd say you joking about this means you don't want to tell me what you were looking for... frankly, Sylvain, that hurts my curiosity. But fine, I guess I'll just have to invite you to tea again and again until I get an answer out of you."

 _Yes PLEASE do_ Was what Sylvain thought, but instead he just let out a laugh which he tried, maybe too hard, to make sound genuine.

"That sounds awful, Riegan. Also, I could ask you the same thing, what the hell were you doing up at two am last night?"

Upon hearing this, Claude took on that "scheme face" of his, the face he makes when searching for new ways to make his opponent let down their guards.

"Hmm... let's see, if I answer your question, do you think you could answer mine in return?"

Sylvain pretended to think about it for a minute, but his curiosity was piqued peaked to say the least. "Depending on the answer, maybe."

"Alright, alright. You're a tough one, Sylvain... truth is, you intrigue me."

And that was it, with that sentence, Claude had just made his opponent let down his guard. Not only did he do that, but he also made him blush for the second time in five minutes.

Sylvain was frantically looking for something to answer but once again, nothing came to his mind, so he just did his best to contain the smile he felt coming upon him. He couldn't manage that either.

"Every time I see you hanging out with girls in the monastery, or even with Felix and Ingrid..." continued Claude "You're always smiling, and I do mean always. Yet I very rarely sense any actual... joy, in those smiles. I'd like to one day know what's going on in this head of yours and that's why I was actually following you last night. I know it sounds weird but quite frankly, it wasn't the first time I noticed you sneaking through the monastery this late. The first time, I was strolling around the second floor to try and calm myself since I couldn't sleep, and you already looked pretty damn suspicious. The second time, you woke me up while passing by the dorms, you aren't exactly the stealthiest person I know. It was starting to be a bit much for my curiosity to handle, so I stayed up last night to follow you and see where you kept going at night. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed when you opened the library's doors, I was hoping to see you dump a body into the pond or something like that. Anyway... that's my answer. Are you satisfied enough with it that I could, perhaps, get mine?"

All of this was getting a bit much for Sylvain, he was feeling a bit overwhelmed but somehow, he also felt a strange sense of eagerness. Knowing that he had piqued Claude's interest enough for him to follow him late at night through the monastery was already making it hard for him to keep his coolness, but he also seemed to have lost control of his thoughts. He couldn't help but wonder... what could have happened if he had caught Claude following him last night? Just the two of them... alone in the library... at night... _fuck, fuck no, stop_.

While Sylvain was focusing on not slapping himself to put some order in his thoughts, Claude was staring at him with a half concerned, half anticipative look.

When Sylvain finally noticed his glare, he did his best to pull himself back to reality and away from whatever his mind was about to make up. He would have the time to go back to it later tonight.

This time, he was trying to muster something to answer instead of just staring at the sweets, still neatly placed on the table. He ate one to give himself some time to think and after a few seconds of silence during which Claude maintained his gaze, it was ultimately his turn to give an answer.

Of course, he didn't owe anything to Claude. Actually, he wasn't sure why he was about to do it, but the time felt right for some emotional exemption.

"Alright, I... so you know how I was looking through the Crests section right? Well... Uh... I was looking some stuff up about the Gautier Crest history to, umm... know more. About all of it."

While Sylvain was stumbling through his words and avoiding the real subject, Claude was maintaining his gaze, which had turned to a patient and strangely compassionate one. From the moment Sylvain had mentioned the Gautier Crest, he had pretty much guessed where the conversation was going, and he was getting ready to give him the time and support he would need. He felt a bit of guiltiness for leading Sylvain into talking about something like this, but he still wanted to know.

That gaze's power on Sylvain was a lot greater than Claude could have known, as it made the redhead feel like maybe, just maybe, he could surrender his constant satirical and unconcerned character, even if just for a short moment.

"And well, " He continued with a half-smile which translated more some kind of heartache than any kind of joy "I didn't find anything. At least nothing that I was hoping to find."

That half-smile managed to decipher Sylvain's anguish so well that it made Claude's heart sink as soon as it appeared on the young man's face. And _That face_ thought Claude, _It's never looked like that. His usual charm is still here, but it's drowned in so much pain right now. It's beautiful. Yes, beautiful, but if it lasts any longer I feel like I might start crying._

He grabbed Sylvain's face in his hands without really knowing why or even thinking.

"Hey, you don't have to talk about it all right now if it's too... painful"

Sylvain's anguished expression turned to surprise.

"No, I'm... it's okay, Claude. Honestly, I don't think I can keep on doing what I do daily. It's getting painful. I want that pain to be known by someone, even if it doesn't change anything of it, or even if it's not understood. I just want it to be seen for once."

"And I think I would like to see it, Sylvain."

They were now both looking into each other's eyes for the first time since they had gotten here.

Claude hadn't even noticed that he had put his hand on the young man's, it had just kind of happened. That young man did notice, though. Feeling the warmth of that hand upon his, he told the bleak story of how his family's crest and the abuse that emerged from it had permanently ruined his ability to trust or smile truthfully. He talked for a long time, but at no moment did Claude stop listening to him or even let down his reassuring gaze.

As he finished his story, the sun was setting and a sincere smile had made its way on his lips, one that Claude qualified as _definitely alluring_ in his head.

There was a short moment of silence which started to feel unbearable for Sylvain. _Shit. I said too much,_ he thought _. Yeah, he thinks I'm weak now._

So he went back to his impression of a genuine smile and tried to break that heavy silence.

"Ah, but you know... it's no that bad though! Please don't look that worried Claude, I'm still here after all!"

Claude cut him off before he could go on with his attempt at looking ok.

"No, you're not."

"What?"

"You're not here. That smile isn't yours."

In a second, the smile in question had died out.

"There, that's better." Claude had taken on a low and warm voice. "I want to see you, Sylvain, not your impersonation of what you think others want to see. I want to be able to understand you when I look at your expressions, all that there is to understand."

Sylvain was completely still, wide-eyed. No one had ever said this to him. What was he supposed to say? Why did he feel like he was about to cry? And more importantly, how was Claude this reassuring and heartfelt in everything that he was saying? Sylvain still managed to get a few words out of himself.

"I...I don't know that you would really want to see it all. Or maybe you do, knowing you and your curiosity, it's not surprising. But you will probably regret it afterward. Just as I will probably regret showing you."

The young man facing him looked at him straight in the eyes. There was an overwhelming warmth in that gaze.

"You're right, Sylvain. That curiosity of mine may be why I'm so eager to know you as much as possible but it's also a very... unique curiosity. One I don't remember ever feeling before, and kind of an unbearable one if I'm being honest. It's as something's pushing me to know as much about you as I can. Or maybe it's simpler than that... maybe I just want to actually know you, Sylvain. And I can't imagine ever regretting that decision."

This was one of, if not the scariest ordeal for Sylvain, getting to be known. But he didn't look scared at the moment, he looked more like he was deep in thoughts.

Getting to be known by Claude... he might be the first to mean it. _Maybe, just maybe he won't regret it afterward, and if that could ever be the case, I need to take that chance._

"Hey..." He suddenly got up and grabbed Claude's hand, which he pulled toward himself until the young man was standing at his level. "What would you say to a night in the library with me?"

Claude was surprised at the sudden shift in Sylvain's tone, but he was more than happy to hear some genuine excitement in his voice.

"If I can get to know you better during that night, that's an offer I can't pass by."

They both left the garden table to stroll around the outside hallways of the monastery, toward the library. Neither had let go of the other's hand.


End file.
